I'm not pregnant nor do I have a child, but when do have a baby, i can't decide if I want to breastfeed or not. initially, I did not - but now, the more I read about it, it just seems like the healthiest thing to feed a newborn. 

rachael
http://www.vegancollegian.blogspot.com

Would be great to include information on milk sharing. While it is so rare for mother not be able to breast feed, many of them feel they have to turn to commercial formula. There is a network of moms on facebook called human milk for human babies. They help moms in need match up with other moms in their community who have milk to donate.

Both of my childen were born at home and were put to the breast immidiatey. Neither had any trouble latching. Also important to remeber things that disrupt the breast feeding relationship should be avioded at all costs (circumcision for example). The natural high you et while breastfeeding is amazing!

I am vegan and nursed for a year. We had some trouble for the first three days, but we got it eventually.

Stephanie - I was producing so much milk that I looked into donating mine. They turned me down because I am vegan and they said the fat content in my milk was too low.

i wasn't breastfed and so was really overwhelmed by the idea when i was pregnant with my daughter.  i knew it was the healthiest option, but it was totally the great unknown and that terrified me.

in the end i love love loved nursing and am so glad i chose to do it.

here's a bit about my experience:

http://www.lovelifeandlollipops.com/2010/04/breastfeeding-organic-at-it’s-best-and-the-art-of-relaxing-wrapped-up-in-one/

xo,

eve

www.lovelifeandlollipops.com

Alicia-

I love this post! I give breastfeeding support to new moms and babies, this is my job and I LOVE it. I also help with organizing local trainings for health care professionals in the community I work in. THANK you for posting these important questions and shinning a positive light on Breastfeeding :)

p.s. I enjoyed reading your book and trying some of the recipes!

I am vegan and still breastfeeding my second child who is 17 months old.  I love breastfeeding!  It so beneficial both nutritionally and emotionally.  My son was born in a birthing pool, latched on straight away, and then breastfed for nearly 2 hours before the nurses finally decided they needed to weigh him :)  I just wish more people would realise how wonderful it is.  Nearly everyone here in the UK bottlefeeds :(

Randi - What organization denied you? I've heard of milk banks doing that but not milk sharing groups. The human milk for human babies group allows moms to post whether they have a need or a donation, they do not screen anybody or deny anybody. So if you posted that you had vegan milk (which is actually in huge demand because so many babies have dairy allergies) up for donation, then it would be up to the recipient to decide if it were right for her baby.

Always seems so odd to me when I hear about a vegan mother wanting to formula feed. There is just nothing natural about that!

Also - Good luck with your breastfeeding journey Alicia!

I breastfed my first son and am currently breastfeeding my second.  Getting the latch was hard both times but definitely much easier the second time around.  Where it is innate, its not as easy as they show you in all of the videos and movies you see in your birthing classes.  I definitely took advantage of the free lactation consultant at the hospital and my midwife.  With my first, I was about to give up at around 4 weeks because as much as I loved it, I did not have good support and didn't understand why my child was feeding non-stop.  I found a new mom's club at a local lacatation center that saved me.  Good support from other breastfeeding mom's is key.  Now that I'm back at work full time with my second child, I will admit that I loathe pumping twice a day but will continue to do so for the next 7 months because I know this little inconvenience is good for my baby, the environment and me.  I truly believe we can do whatever we set our mind to do.  Best of luck to all of you new moms. 

I went vegan when my 2nd baby was just a few months old.  He's now 3, and we're still breastfeeding.  I also have a 20 month old (who is also still nursing), and I'm 16 weeks pregnant.  Vegan nursing/pregnancy has been awesome for my family!  I have 3 healthy, strong little boys to prove it! 

I'm currently pregnant with my third child and very much hope to breastfeed successfully this time around.  With my first two babies, I did not produce enough milk to be able to nurse without the eventual addition of formula, (my first was given formula right away as he was in the NICU for 5 days and couldn't come to me, also pumping produced little to nothing at first.  My second breastfed exclusively for the first 2 months but gained little weight during that time.)  I don't know if it was because I wasn't eating enough food or drinking enough water, or if I'm one of the few ladies that simply cannot make lots of breast milk.  Aside from having a lactation consultant handy, any advice on what I can do to help my milk come in?  Thank you!!

The breast is best!  It's so great to see breastfeeding in a positive light.  I've had so many people advise me to supplement breasfeeding with formula so that "my baby will sleep better at night" or "to make sure the baby is getting enough milk."  While there may be some people who don't produce adequate breastmilk, this is uncommon.  If anyone is reading this that is currently breastfeeding and worried that they aren't producting enough milk, please go see a lactation consultant!  Or check to see if your local hospital has a lactation educator available.

I breastfed my first two babies for two years each and I am currently breastfeeding my third baby.  It has been a wonderful way to connect with my babies and provide them with the best source of nourishment, their mother's milk.

What a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing this. In terms of promoting a natural way of life, veganism and breastfeeding really go hand in hand. 

Thank you for this post! I breastfed both my boys, but was not vegan at the time. We will eventually go for #3 and hopefully everything will go well and I will be able to breastfeed a third. This is great information!

http://www.elizabethskindcafe.com/

The most common complaint I hear from mothers trying to breastfeed is the problem with latching on. Most women that get pain and have a hungry after is because they only put the nipple in, when they need the WHOLE areola in there mouth. When this is done it allows the milk to flow easily instead of painfully being forced through. The babies lips should be flipped outward kinda like a fish. After the baby latches on to the whole areola, flip there lips out and this should help a lot. If you hear that cute sucking noise it means the baby is swallowing air and you should retry otherwise you will have one fussy baby. Hope this advice helps, it was the best I got and have succesfully breastfed my three sons because of it. Happy breatfeeding to everyone!!!

Thank you for posting this Alicia. My son is four months old and I have been vegan and breastfeeding exclusively since his birth.

I love having such an intimate way of feeding my beautiful baby boy